Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers’ dramatic return to the NFL may not be temporary after all. While the 44-year-old is retiring… he could still remain in the league as a head coach.
Following Rivers’ dramatic return to the NFL, the veteran is reportedly receiving interest from head coaches around the league, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. According to Rapoport, NFL teams have researched Rivers and are beginning to call on him as a coach. Rivers could be interviewed by an NFL team at least once this offseason.
advertise
Entering Week 18, only two teams — the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans — have head coaching vacancies. That number is expected to grow after Sunday’s game. Some coaches may be fired before the end of the day, while others will be fired on Monday.
Rivers’ resume as a player is quite impressive. Rivers passed for 63,440 yards and 421 touchdowns when he first joined the NFL. Those numbers rank eighth and sixth, respectively, in NFL history.
After a five-year layoff, Rivers had plenty of time to become a candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he made a shocking return to the NFL after Colts quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury.
Considering the circumstances, Rivers performed surprisingly well down the stretch, completing 63 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and three interceptions in three games. With the Colts eliminated from the playoffs, Rivers was replaced by rookie Riley Leonard in Week 18.
advertise
Following the announcement, Rivers made it clear that his career was over. He hinted that he would return to Alabama to coach high school football. Shortly after Rivers first retired from the NFL, he began coaching high school football.
But according to Rapoport, with Rivers returning to the NFL, some believe he may consider staying in the league as a head coach. This has been an obstacle in the past, with teams reportedly considering Rivers last offseason but being told he was unwilling to consider a jump to college or the pros.
When Rivers announced his return to the NFL after a five-year absence, he immediately became one of the biggest news of the 2025 NFL season. If this brief tenure as Colts quarterback leads to a head coaching job next year, it would be a fitting way to continue with Rivers’ unlikely comeback.